Top US military officials cite progress in the campaign against insurgents in Afghanistan, despite the recent wave of attacks by Afghan soldiers and police against their international counterparts. The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, and the commander of U.S. Central Command, General James Mattis arrived in Afghanistan for talks […]
Top US Military Officials Cite Progress in Afghanistan Despite Recent Attacks
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 7:55 am (UTC-5)
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UN Observers Leaving Syria After Mandate Ends
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 7:00 am (UTC-5)
Members of the United Nations observer mission have left the Syrian capital, Damascus, after the expiration of their mandate to watch over a cease-fire that never took hold. The monitors who departed for Lebanon Monday are some of the last remaining from a group that at one time included 300 observers. The rest of the […]
Top US General in Afghanistan to Discuss Attacks
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 6:15 am (UTC-5)
The top U.S. military officer is in Afghanistan to meet with NATO and Afghan officers about the recent wave of attacks by Afghan soldiers and police against international forces. Army General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, landed at Bagram Air Field outside Kabul Monday. Afghan security forces have killed 10 […]
Slain Strongman’s Daughter to Run for South Korea Presidency
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 4:50 am (UTC-5)
South Korea’s ruling party voted overwhelmingly Monday for the daughter of an assassinated strongman to be its presidential candidate. Park Geun-hy, the daughter of Park Chung-hee, who ruled the country as a dictator from 1961 to 1979, won her New Frontier Party’s presidential primary, easily beating four male candidates. Opinion polls indicate she is the […]
Pakistan Leader Orders Report On Girl’s Blasphemy Case
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 4:20 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has asked the Interior Ministry for a report about the arrest of a Christian girl with Down syndrome on blasphemy charges for allegedly desecrating religious text. Down syndrome is a genetic condition that is associated with mental retardation. Reports on the girl’s age vary from 11 years old to her […]
New Somali Parliament to Hold First Session
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 4:00 am (UTC-5)
Somalia’s new parliament begins its work Monday, as the country moves closer to completing a complex plan to establish a stable, permanent government. A selection committee has named about 220 lawmakers for the 275-seat body, but officials say that is enough for the parliament to convene. The lawmakers are expected to vote for a new […]
Burma Says it Ended Press Censorship
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 3:50 am (UTC-5)
The government of Burma says it will no longer censor local media outlets by requiring stories to be submitted for review before publication. The announced easing of censorship follows decades of repressing news coverage and other forms of free expression. Burma’s Information Ministry, which has long controlled what can be printed, said Monday that local […]
South African Mine Owner Warns Striking Workers to Return
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 2:40 am (UTC-5)
The owner of a South African mine where police killed 34 people last week says striking workers must return to the job Monday or face being fired. Lonmin PLC said in a statement Sunday that the deadline is a “final ultimatum.” About 3,000 people have joined the strike since August 10 to demand higher wages. […]
China’s Gu Given Suspended Death Sentence for Murder of Brit
Posted August 20th, 2012 at 12:40 am (UTC-5)
A Chinese court has given a suspended death sentence to the wife of disgraced former Communist Party leader Bo Xilai for the murder of a British businessman. The Intermediate People’s Court in Hefei on Monday sentenced Gu Kailai to death, suspended for two years, after she confessed on August 9 to poisoning Neil Heywood after […]
US, South Korea Begin Annual Military Drill
Posted August 19th, 2012 at 11:30 pm (UTC-5)
South Korea and United States forces began an annual joint military exercise Monday aimed at testing defenses against North Korea. The two sides say the drills, known as “Ulchi Freedom Guardian,” are defensive in nature. North Korea routinely claims military exercises in the South are rehearsals for invasion of the North. The computer-assisted exercise, set […]
